Two blocks are in contact on a frietionless table. One has...

Two blocks are in contact on a frietionless table. One has mass $m$ and other $2 m$. A force $f$ is applied on $2 m$ as shown in flgure. Next the same force $F$ is applied from the right on $m$. In the two cases respectively, the force of contact between the two blocks will be (a) $2: 1$ (b) $1: 3$ (c) $1: \underline{2}$ (d) $3: 1$

Two blocks are in contact on a frietionless table. One has mass $m$ and other $2 m$. A force $f$ is applied on $2 m$ as shown in flgure. Next the same force $F$ is applied from the right on $m$. In the two cases respectively, the force of contact between the two blocks will be
(a) $2: 1$
(b) $1: 3$
(c) $1: \underline{2}$
(d) $3: 1$

Key Concepts

Newton's Second Law

Newton's second law (F = ma) is fundamental to understanding how forces affect the motion of objects. It allows us to calculate the acceleration of a system and individual bodies within that system by relating the total applied force to the mass of the object, which is crucial when analyzing forces acting on connected bodies.

Free Body Diagram

A free body diagram is an essential tool in mechanics that graphically represents all the forces acting on an individual object. By isolating each body and depicting forces such as applied forces, contact forces, and weight (if relevant), it helps set up the correct equations of motion needed for solving problems involving multiple interacting objects.

System Approach to Multiple Bodies

When dealing with multiple bodies in contact, it is often beneficial to treat them as a single system to determine the overall acceleration due to external forces. This approach simplifies the problem by eliminating internal forces (which cancel out) and allows one to later analyze individual interactions, such as the force of contact between the bodies.

Contact Forces

Contact forces are the forces exerted by objects in direct physical contact with each other. In systems with connected bodies, these forces ensure that the objects move together and are determined by analyzing the acceleration of each body and applying Newton’s laws, thereby serving as the internal forces that transmit the effect of external forces between the objects.

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